Architecture Commons^™

Innovative Storm Water Best Management Practices : Their Influence On Landscape Architecture In North Texas, Jason Christopher Voight

Landscape Architecture Masters & Design Theses - Archive

The land development process is essentially a three step progression consisting of input from developers who envision and fund a project, designers who translate the developer's vision into a buildable project, and the regulators who ensure that the project upholds, to the extent allowable by law, the health, safety, and welfare of mankind including the environment.As an outgrowth of this development model, the modern American city has evolved overtime into a sprawling metropolis, which has had a direct, deleterious impact on watersheds. To address these detrimental impacts, storm water regulations have been authored on federal, state, and local levels, which …

Enhancement Plan For Downtown Cayucos, Ca, Rachelle Sarai Sneh Lopez

Master's Theses

An area can be torn by the competition between the preservation of its character and the desire for new development. Cayucos’ downtown area is recognized by both residents and visitors as a special place with a strong, small, coastal town feel. However, issues such as accessibility, public amenities, parking, maintenance, and general development needs have to be dealt with. This thesis deals with the issue of how to plan for change while maintaining the character of Cayucos, and presents an enhancement plan proposal for its downtown. The development of this plan was based on a research-based design methodology, which included …

Accessibility In Metropolitan Transportation Planning : Visualizing A Gis-Based Measure For Collaborative Planning, Aditi Sarkar

Dissertations

Passed by the US Congress in 1995, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), requires Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to further the trend of collaboration by employing visualization techniques for Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs). In the first part of this two-part research, three New Jersey MPOs are investigated to understand how accessibility is considered by their organizations, how TIPs are evaluated, and how collaborative planning and visualization techniques are used to evaluate TIPs. In the second part of this study, a small segment of a MPO's jurisdiction is selected to develop a visualization of …

Dynamics Of School Playground Use In Low-Income Neighborhoods : Four Case Studies From Newark, New Jersey, Caryn Schneider Yaacov

Dissertations

Physical activity during youth contributes to enhanced health and development, and time spent outdoors is a positive correlate of children's physical activity levels. Despite the importance currently attached to building healthy communities, children in the United States from economically disadvantaged urban neighborhoods often lack access to quality open space. In response to insufficient outdoor play options for children in Newark, New Jersey, several existing inner-city elementary school playgrounds have been rebuilt through public-private partnerships involving the municipal government, school district, and nonprofit agencies. This study explores the extent to which neighborhood children use these renovated playgrounds outside of school hours. …

Fatigue Of Masonry Walls With Cfrp Applied Externally For Out-Of-Plane Loads, Joseph Louis Williams

Master's Theses

This master’s thesis presents an investigation on the effects of fatigue on fiber- reinforced polymers (FRP) when applied to masonry walls subjected to out-of-plane loading. The project aims to provide further research and add to the general testing database of FRP enhanced masonry. An introduction to the problems and solutions associated with unreinforced masonry is discussed along with a literature review on previous testing done in the field of FRP enhanced masonry. The investigation on the effects of fatigue on FRP when applied to masonry walls subjected to out-of-plane loading is performed through experimental testing. A total of four wall …

Object-Oriented Building Extraction And Three-Dimensional Representation Of Building Temperatures In Indianapolis, U.S.A., Jing Han

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With a rapid development of world population, urbanization has become an important issue in the past century and generated great pressure on the environment. In order to assist urban decision-makers to present, analyze, and solve related issues, accurate and timely spatial information is n~eded in urban areas. This research focused on building information extraction and the relationship analysis of buildings and temperatures in the downtown Indianapolis, IN. Through object-oriented classification, the image derived from LiDAR data was segmented into objects, and spectral, spatial, and textual attributes of objects were measured and selected to extract buildings. Moreover, each building's surface temperature …

Moving Towards Self-Reliance: Living Conditions Of Refugee Camps In Lebanon And Opportunities For Development, Dana Masad

Master's Theses

Refugee camps in Lebanon are harsh, continuously and rapidly deteriorating environments. In addition to poverty, numerous wars and the restrictions of civil rights, refugee camps that were not designed as a long-term settlement were made to accommodate their residents in addition to their descendents for a period that has lasted over 59 years. Since the establishment of the camps in 1948 the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon have fallen victim to multiple wars and as a result most camps have witnessed major destruction of homes and infrastructure, and a few were entirely destroyed. Today, the planning and development of the camps …

Exploring How Residential Communities In The Rural Southern Appalachian Mountains Are Branded As 'Green:' A Qualitative Analysis, Ole Sleipness

All Dissertations

As environmental issues have gained media prominence, a majority of Americans now consider themselves to be environmentalists. Producers of real estate development have responded with communities, branded to differentiate themselves from their competition through sagas, imagery, and symbols that communicate the values and identities that align with those of their targeted consumers. Host to a rapidly expanding population, the Southern Appalachians are home to a wealth of new communities, many of them branded as 'green.' Building on theoretical foundations in visual design, environmental rhetoric, and landscape interpretation, this research utilizes a collective case study analysis to illustrate how texts, images, …

The Reintroduction Of Heritage Streetcars And The Related Effects Of Community Identity And Social Interaction With The Residents In Streetcar-Oriented Developments, Robert Benedict

All Dissertations

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Therapeutic Benefits Of Nature Images On Health, Ellen Vincent

All Dissertations

This thesis is a journey that travels back in time, when nature and health were inseparable, and forward to a time when science was the impetus for separation between the natural landscape and healing (chapter two), then into the present when nature and health are being reunited, only through science (chapter three).
The research conducted in 2008-2009 is reported in the form of three journal articles. The first article (chapter four) developed a methodology using sequential methods to select the nature images that would be used in the experiment. Appleton's prospect refuge theory was the basis for four image categories. …

The Inside Outside Hospital, Robert Thompson

All Theses

This thesis examines how the historical development of healthcare architecture was influenced by social and cultural forces that eventually led to the contemporary thick building form, which is common today. These settings can have a negative impact upon patient and staff health, compromising the optimal medical response needed for patient healing. The hospital environment should be designed to increase day lighting, natural ventilation, and access to nature in order to contribute to the healing process, support the health of care providers, and optimize their effectiveness and efficiency.
This thesis first explores the development of hospital forms and, their impact on …

Ripe For Change: Roles Of Planners And Landscape Architects At The Interface Of The Land And The Network In An Alternative Agriculture Model For Upstate South Carolina, Jennifer Johnson

All Theses

Both historically and in select areas today, local food systems are the main food supply for communities. Despite the fact that they are not a main source of food for most Americans, since the 1970s there has been a resurgence of U.S. local food systems (Qazi & Selfa, p.161). The movements exist in places where high-profile and vocal personalities (restaurateur, Alice Waters; author, Michael Pollan; or activist Carlo Petrini) also reside. This thesis examines whether the viability of the resurgence in local food systems depends on the commitment of a single person, and if not, whether those who affect the …

Solar Power For Deployment In Populated Areas, Nathan Andrew Hicks

Master's Theses

The thesis presents background on solar thermal energy and addresses the structural challenges associated with the deployment of concentrating solar power fields in urban areas. Two potential structural systems and urban locales of deployment are proposed and investigated to determine whether they have the potential to be a cost-effective renewable energy solution for urban areas. The structural issues explored in the thesis include flutter, the wind loading of open frame structures, performance-based design, and the design of flexibly mounted equipment on a building.

City Of Patterson Sustainability Plan, Colin Brian Clarke

Master's Theses

This Master’s Thesis / Professional Project is a Sustainability Plan developed for the City of Patterson, California. The Patterson Sustainability Plan (PSP) was developed concurrently with the General Plan Update, and will be presented to the City for adoption within a year. The Sustainability Plan will help inform decision-making by way of its Goals and Actions for implementation to improve community sustainability. Before the plan was developed, background research was conducted that included a Best Practices Review to assess what other cities are doing to address sustainability, a Needs Assessment to evaluate existing conditions in Patterson and determine its unique …

North Ventura Avenue Area Plan (Draft Update), Rick A. Casswell

Master's Theses

This professional project provides a much needed draft update to the existing Area Plan for North Ventura Avenue (last amended in 1990), an unincorporated area of the County that falls under the City of Ventura’s sphere of influence. New goals, policies and programs have been provided to supplement the goals, policies and programs of the current countywide General Plan for Ventura County (adopted in 2005). The supplemental goals, policies and programs proposed in this draft update apply specifically to North Ventura Avenue, and account for a pending annexation of the area by the City of Ventura.

The overall aim of …

Substituting Residential Rainwater Harvesting And Greywater Reuse For Public Water Supply: Tools For Evaluating The Public Cost, Jennifer L. Ferguson

Master's Theses

The intent of this project is to provide tools for public administrators to implement and evaluate the cost of an alternative on-site residential water supply using rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse in their jurisdiction. These tools are then applied to the city of San Luis Obispo (SLO), California as a case study to demonstrate how rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse could be implemented to supply all residential potable and non-potable water needs, completely replacing the current centralized publicly-managed water system. Further, energy and direct fiscal costs of the alternative system are compared with the current system. A cost analysis is …

Specific Plans: An Implementation Tool For Downtown Revitalization. A Specific Plan Proposal For Downtown Delano, California, Emily Suzanne Henderson

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Specific Plans: An Implementation Tool for Downtown Revitalization A Specific Plan Proposal for Downtown Delano, California

Emily Suzanne Henderson

This study builds off the assumption that downtowns are socially and economically important to cities and the people who live, work, and visit them. For these reasons, many suffering downtowns are pursuing revitalization strategies. The strategies summarized in this paper represent mainstream revitalization techniques currently practiced by cities, planners, and developers. The strategies and techniques presented in this paper are supported by two case study specific plans. The case studies serve as model specific plans that were able to successfully …

The Influence Of Incentives Offered By Local Governments To Private Developers Or Land Owners On The Rate Of Brownfield Redevelopment, Erik Benjamin Simon

Master's Theses

Redevelopment of brownfield sites has become increasingly popular since the inception of voluntary cleanup programs in the early to mid 1990’s. Local governments have begun to offer incentives to private developers or land owners to offset costs associated with contamination and encourage the redevelopment of properties that are typically underutilized. Incentives may take several forms including, but not limited to, fast-tracked project approval, risk based cleanup standards, liability relief, tax breaks, and direct funding assistance.

This study investigates how incentives that are offered by local governments to private developers or land owners influence the rate of redevelopment in their sphere …

Santa Barbara Tea Fire Multi-Hazard Mitigation Benefit Cost Analysis, David S. Flamm

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Santa Barbara Tea Fire Multi-Hazard Mitigation Benefit Cost Analysis

David S Flamm

This study examines the benefits and costs associated with the outright purchase of properties for hazard mitigation (“property acquisition mitigation”) in Santa Barbara, California which reduced four properties’ exposure to multiple hazards. The results indicate that the estimated overall benefit-cost ratio for property acquisition mitigation projects is 1.75:1 when the exposed properties meet a threshold of eminent threat for total loss. This study further suggests that when property acquisitions are performed in an area threatened by multiple hazards the mitigation becomes two to three times more beneficial …

Application Of Pv Panels In Large Multi-Story Buildings, Sara Kayal

Master's Theses

Application of PV Panels in Large Multi-Story Buildings Feasibility Study Sara Kayal

The awareness of global warming along with an ever increasing demand for a new source of energy has brought a strong interest in harnessing natural resources such as solar energy. This thesis evaluates the viability of applying photovoltaic (PV) panels in high-rise commercial buildings of around 20 stories. Specifically, the thesis is intended to provide a pre-planning tool during the early design stage for architects and designers who are considering the deployment of PV panels in new multi-story construction.

The first three chapters cover a comprehensive literature review …

Seismic Performance Of Unreinforced Masonry Walls Retrofitted With Post-Tensioning Tendons, Daniel Louis Lazzarini

Master's Theses

Unreinforced masonry (URM) structures have historically been regarded as structurally unsound in response to seismic events. The tendency for URM walls to collapse out-of-plane in a brittle manner is continually cause for concern. Retrofit of these walls is necessary in order to prevent severe damage and injury to occupants.

This paper is concerned with the retrofit of unreinforced masonry (URM) walls in response to out-of-plane loading. A retrofit design was developed and verified through structural testing. The selected retrofit technique incorporates vertical coring of URM walls to allow for the insertion of a single post-tensioning (PT) tendon. Tendons are spaced …

Determinants Of Risky Sexual Behaviors Of Kenyan Immigrant Men In The Us And During Visits In Kenya, Japheth K. Kaluyu

Dissertations

Kenyan immigrant men originate from sub-Saharan Africa with the highest HIV prevalence in the world. The study hypotheses were: 1) Attitude towards condom use differs between Kenya and the US, 2) Condom use behavior with primary sex partners differ between Kenya and the US, 3) Condom use behavior with casual sex partners differ between Kenya and the US, 4) Sexual behaviors with casual partners differ between Kenya and the US, 5)Age affects risky sexual behaviors in the US, 6) Age affects risky sexual behaviors during visits in Kenya, 7) Income affects risky sexual behaviors in the US, 8) Income affects …

Activating Memorial: Rally Space At Christopher Park, William Fellis

School of Architecture - Theses

This thesis is an exploration of the memorial as a constructed place, as a program that portrays more, than a memory and understanding of historical, physical, and cultural contexts, but inspires a progressive action.

Green | Instruction, Christine C. Ritson

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

If society shows the need for a re-engagement with its surrounding nature in order to develop conscious environmental decisions, then a pre-kindergarten through fifth grade school, with the careful design and testing of materials, courtyards, and circulation strategy, will be the vehicle through which everyday decisions are taught at the earliest age.

Problem | Statistics | 20 percent of Americans go to school every day, equating to 55 million students and nearly 5 million teachers and staff. More than 25 percent of those students and teachers are going to school in inadequate facilities where their health is at risk.[1] …

The B Street Residence Biophilic Design And The Colorado Home, Colin E. Fanning

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The main focus of this Capstone has been exploratory—self-educational. After having learned, during the course of my studies in interior design, about the methodology of biophilic design (literally, “life-loving”)—which deals with the human psychological affinity for the natural world and attempting to reconcile that with the built environment, in order to create spaces that protect both body and mind—I wanted to experiment within that philosophy, to build my own biophilic design skills. This matched well with my long-running passion for sustainable design—the two methodologies are distinct but closely related, and when used in concert they represent a progressive vision for …

The Animated Work Environment: A Vision For Working Life In A Digital Society, Henrique Houayek

All Dissertations

Dramatic transformations in the nature, place and organization of working life due to increasing sophistication and access of information technologies in the United States suggest a redesign of the work environment as a socially and technologically responsive system occupying both home and office.
This thesis examines the process of creation of an 'Animated Work Environment' [AWE]. A space in the scale of a cubicle envisioned as an environment-as-responsive-robot; an articulated, programmable interior accommodating a range of digital technologies across fluid assemblages of people working with both printed and digital materials in a variety of locations and settings, searching for a …

Rapid Prototyping In Design Education: A Comparative Study Of Rapid Prototyping And Traditional Model Construction, Scott D. Greenhalgh

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

To evaluate the effectiveness of a rapid prototyping into a curriculum, a study was conducted requiring students to conceive a design and create a model. Students were randomly selected to be given access to the rapid prototype or to create the models by hand. The students' models were evaluated on scale, design, and craftsmanship. Students participated in a survey consisting of perceptions of design feedback and difficulties as well as interests and affective traits. The study utilized qualitative data investigating the instructors' perceptions prior to implementing rapid prototyping into the curriculum and its correlation to observed events.

The study found …

Exploring The Use Of The Student Readiness Inventory™ To Develop A Retention Plan For Incoming Freshmen In The College Of Agriculture At Utah State University, Lisa B. Allen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to utilize the Student Readiness Inventory^TM to profile retention and academic success rates for College of Agriculture freshmen. The Student Readiness Inventory (SRI) has been developed to help measure psychosocial issues related to academic achievement and college student retention. This information, combined with high school grade point average and admission test scores from American College Testing (ACT, Inc.), will help advisors and administrators in the College of Agriculture identify potential at-risk students during their first year of college. From SRI test results, a model for intervention will be built to meet the students' …

Development Of A Survey Measuring Visitor Satisfaction And Service Quality Of Cultural And Natural Sites In Belize, Dustin S. Wiberg

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The literature suggests that a correlation exists between visitor satisfaction and a visitor's choice to re-experience a product. The higher one's satisfaction level, the more likely he/she is to experience the product again and/or provide positive word-of-mouth advertising to friends and family. The Tian-Cole and Crompton model was chosen because of its acknowledgment and explanation of the differences between Visitor Satisfaction (VS) and Service Quality (SQ) and how their relationship influences satisfaction and contributes to Future Destination Selection.

In addition to identifying a theoretical framework that explains why visitors return, it was necessary to identify a survey methodology to be …

Attachment To The Physical Age Of Urban Residential Neighborhoods: A Comparative Case Study Of Historic Charleston And I'On, Jeremy Wells

All Dissertations

Purpose:
To counter the over-reliance of historic preservation research and practice on objective, expert values by understanding how people subjectively value and are attached to the age and design of traditionally-designed urban residential neighborhoods.
Research question:
How does the age of traditionally designed, urban residential environments affect the degree and character of place attachment for residents?
Cases:
1) historic Charleston, south of Broad Street, 2) I'On new urbanist development in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.
Unit of analysis:
Residents of 1) historic Charleston and 2) I'On.
Methodology (methods):
Sequential mixed-method: phenomenology (interviews) followed by a survey methodology (on-line survey instrument); both …